Philadelphia Phillies: Not-So-Fab Five Are Notoriously Slow Starters

The 2011 MLB season is back and so are ‘Dem Phightin Phils’. Philadelphia’s finest are ready to make yet another push toward—what will be—their fifth straight appearance in the postseason. But along the way there will be some inevitable bumps in the road that the Phillies will have to endure, and it begins with five players who are notoriously slow starters.

Dealing with slow starting players is as synonymous with baseball as hot dogs and peanuts, and for the Phillies, it always seems to be the same players year in and year out.

Let’s take a look at Philly’s sluggish sluggers, and plodding pitchers and maybe even try to shed some light, on this ever annoying plight.

Caveat: This slide was completed prior to the Phillies 7-3 win Sunday led by Ryan Howard and Ben Francisco. As you read further you'll see why I am writing this.

Cole Hamels, SP:

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If you look at Cole Hamels, and his career stat line, one could argue that April is actually not that bad of a month for him.

His totals are pretty respectable, straight across the board, accept for three key areas: strikeouts (124), ERA (4.11) and WHIP (1.307). All three of those statistical categories are the worst totals in any month for Hamels, helping to contribute to his worst monthly cumulative record of 7-8.

April is usually a bit friendly to pitchers thanks to the swirling winds and colder temperatures; aspects that tend to suppress home runs, which makes Hamels slow start sort of a mystery. But not all of Hamels’ wins and losses have been by his own attrition, leading way to my second notoriously slow starter…

Ryan Howard, 1B:

It kinda helps when your power bat is…well, hitting for power. But in the curious case of Ryan Howard, April is not a typical month of production from the hot corner guard.

Every single hitting category for Howard is at its lowest in the month of April, including strikeouts—what an ironic twist, eh?—making April the most dreaded month for Howard.

Once again, the ball tends to carry less in April especially for power hitters, and prior to the 2009 season, Howard was striking out at an alarming rate (30 SO per month from 2006 to 2008 compared to20 SO per month in ’09 and ’10) which are all contributors to his April totals.

Now over the last two years, Howard has really picked things up (.288 average in 2009 and .274 average in 2010 which is compared to his dismal .174 average in 2008) so if this trend continues, perhaps Howard will rid himself of this monkey once and for all.